Australia vs England 2nd Test: Brisbane pitch report, key stadium stats

Australia and England have played just 22 Test matches against each other at The Gabba, Brisbane, with Australia winning 16 matches, while England has won just four times

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Australia and England meet in the second Ashes Test today in a day-night pink-ball contest at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday. England entered the match under pressure after an eight-wicket defeat in the opening Test in Perth, where Australia dominated through Travis Head’s counterattacking hundred and Mitchell Starc’s ten-wicket haul in the match. England also arrived with limited pink-ball experience in Ashes conditions. Only Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope in the current squad have played a day-night Ashes Test. Root leads this group with 207 runs from six innings, but England’s overall record remains unconvincing.

 

Australia are far more settled in pink-ball cricket with thirteen wins from fourteen matches. Their attack thrives under lights, and the Gabba surface is expected to provide pace and carry throughout the match. Batting is likely to become more challenging during the twilight phase when the pink ball can move sharply.

 

Usman Khawaja is unavailable, forcing Australia to bring Josh Inglis in the Playing 11. Pat Cummins' return to international cricket is delayed once again as Steve Smith again took the captaincy duty in Brisbane. England continued to back their attacking approach despite criticism, and Stokes has urged his players to embrace the challenge. With contrasting records and conditions favouring pace, an intense Test awaits.

Australia vs England 2nd Test: The Gabba, Brisbane pitch report

The Brisbane pitch is set to offer good pace and carry, making it a welcoming surface for fast bowlers throughout the match. Batters may find scoring slightly easier once the ball softens, allowing smoother stroke play, but they will still need to be cautious during transitions between sessions.

 

The twilight phase and the night session, in particular, are expected to be the most challenging periods, especially if the new ball is in hand. Seamers could extract extra movement under lights, putting top orders under pressure. Overall, a lively contest between bat and ball is likely, with momentum shifting as conditions evolve.

Australia vs England: Head-to-head stats in Tests in Brisbane

Australia and England have played just 22 Test matches against each other at The Gabba, Brisbane, with Australia winning 16 matches, while England have won just four times. Two matches ended in a draw. However, Australia have not lost a Test to England in Brisbane since 1986.

Recent Test match at Brisbane Stadium

The last Test match at Brisbane Stadium was played from December 14 to December 18, 2024, between Australia and India. Batting first in the match, Australia posted a huge total of 445 on the board, while India were bundled out for just 260, handing the hosts a big 185-run first-innings lead. The second innings was hit by constant rain, and Australia declared their innings at 85 for 7 with hopes of getting Indian wickets quickly to win the game, but India were batting on just 8 without loss when rain arrived again and ended the match in a draw.

Brisbane Stadium key Test stats

The Gabba in Brisbane has hosted 69 Test matches, offering a balanced yet challenging contest for teams across eras. Sides batting first have won 26 times, while teams bowling first have secured 27 victories, reflecting the venue’s tendency to reward both early movement and later wear on the surface.

 

The average scores highlight a gradual decline across innings — teams typically post around 329 in the first innings and 316 in the second, before the pitch begins to deteriorate, bringing the averages down to 236 in the third innings and just 158 in the fourth.

 

The ground has witnessed some extremes as well, including the highest total of 645 made by Australia against England, and the lowest total of just 58, also in an Australia–England clash.

 

The highest successful run chase at the Gabba remains India’s remarkable 329/7, achieved over 97 overs, while the smallest total successfully defended is England’s 122 all out.